"Lisa Qualls and the Impact of Place"

I was born in Midland, TX and do have some very vivid memories of Odessa, prairie dogs and tumbleweeds before we moved to Baton Rouge, LA when I was a toddler.  I have never considered myself anything other than a Louisianian.  The lush greenery and tropical weather of Louisiana, the accents of Southern Louisiana, French street names and surnames and constant references to family, food and culture are the only things that make me feel truly at home.  

I am incredibly lucky to have Céleste Wackenhut, who is my gallerist and friend, write a beautiful, intelligent and fluid essay about my work that encompasses not just the beginnings of the Louisiana Portrait Project but the years of work that lead up to this point. Growing up in Alabama and France, having parents and grandparents from France and Germany adds to the understanding that Céleste has of importance of place and identity.  Her essay "Lisa Qualls and the Impact of Place" is the first of three wonderful essays in the catalogue "Lisa Qualls: A Collection of Silence".  The catalogue that accompanies the exhibit of the same name, is a road map detailing what my work has investigated, how my work relates to artwork not only of the 21st or 20th centuries as well as earlier centuries and how the Louisiana Portrait Project not only relates to relevant issues of culture and identity but to universal humaness as well.  Please go to the link here at French & Michigan Gallery to read "Lisa Qualls and the Impact of Place".  Think about adding the catalogue, which includes essays the other two essay from Jacqueline Edwards and Darryl Ohlenbusch, to your collection.  The ongoing series of catalogues published by French & Michigan is a wonderful set of books to own.